PR is valuable for generating awareness, but it can fulfill other roles. PR is key to influencing audience behaviors, making it the secret weapon of a fuller sales pipeline. A direct correlation between PR efforts and sales is what every communicator dreams of – a measurable benefit of PR. Here are four ways to use PR to increase sales leads:

When new products or services are slow to launch, pitch evergreen article topics that show company innovation and thought leadership. This is an effective way to use PR to fill the sales funnel during slow news periods.

3) Speak at industry events

Position company subject matter experts as thought leaders by having them speak at industry events. Increased visibility, particularly in front of potential customers and other decision makers, can translate to a full sales pipeline. Bonus: you can use the content from the presentation to build the assets mentioned in bullet #1.

4) Give media placements new life

Reuse key media placements such as bylines, product reviews and featured articles in sales kits, and give them prominent real estate on your company website. Don’t forget to promote via social media to help extend reach and shelf life.

PR is fundamental to increasing awareness and filling the sales pipeline for organizations of all sizes. Persistent, varied content targeted to key influencers and decision makers will help change behaviors and convert leads into customers.

Big data is your ally, not a monster under your bed. If you take control of it, you’ll be able to build lead paths that result in increased sales, shortened sale cycles, and happier, more loyal customers. Learn more about big data and lead paths with our guide, Take Control of Your Data and Build Better Lead Paths.

Stacey Miller is the senior social and media relations manager for Cision. A keynote speaker, her writing has appeared in everything from web publications to textbooks. Stacey has been named one of the best people to follow on Twitter and a finalist for Oracle's Community Manager of the Year Award. Find her on Twitter @staceylamiller.